Break Away
by ButtercupHarmony
Summary: Seventeen years later, she was still running. Samantha-centric, no intended ship.


(A/N) No offense to anyone who lives in Wisconsin! I'm also going on the assumption that she's 34. Takes place Post S2. Spoilers: Doppelganger (Slight), Shadows, Victory For Humanity (also slight), Through the Cracks (slightly less slight)

Thank you so much Lia! You're an angel!

(Disclaimer) I don't own anything. CBS owns Without A Trace and all characters. Kelly Clarkson owns the song (Which is called Break Away).

(Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1984)

Grew up in a small town  
And when the rain would fall down  
I just stared out my window  
Dreaming of a could-be  
And if I'd end up happy  
I would pray (I would pray)

The sun was beginning to set on the bare Wisconsin landscape. Or, it would be if the sun wasn't hidden by clouds and rain. The small town of Kenosha was settling down for the night. Lights were turning on here and there, small islands in a sea of darkness.

Fourteen year old Samantha was lying on her stomach, staring out the window. Her mind's eye was seeing far past the Wisconsin fields and the ordinary people. She saw the bright lights of New York City, the hustle of Times Square.

_(New York City, 2004)_

"If there's anything I hate more than snow it's rain." Samantha mumbled, not appreciating the amused chuckle from Martin, who was walking slightly behind her.

"I thought it was the cold." He said, pasting an innocent look on his face, although his beautiful blue eyes were twinkling with mirth. She smacked him on his elbow. "You know, I could bring you in for that. Assault of a federal officer." He teased. She sent him a glare, but couldn't keep it when she saw the grin on his face.

"You poor abused soul." She smirked at him. "Sure you don't wanna take a shot back, make it even?"

"I don't hit ladies. Ask Jamie." He said. "She used to tackle me all the time. Never fought back."

"Dad taught you well." She said, somewhat sarcastically. Martin shook his head.

"Uncle Roger. Dad wanted me to fight back, not to get beat up by a girl." Martin said matter-of-factly. Smiling weakly, Samantha felt slightly embarrassed for her comment, and one glance at Martin's blank face, didn't comfort her.

_(Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1987)_

Buildings with a hundred floors  
Swinging around wild indoors  
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but  
Gotta keep moving on, moving on  
Fly away, breakaway

The dark night sky was studded by brilliant stars, and a slight breeze blew. In one hand was her duffle bag, filled with everything a seventeen-year-old runaway needed. In the other hand was her bus ticket to New York City. The city of culture and life and excitement. Where cow tipping was scorned, where the biggest source of boredom was not going to a Broadway show . . .

She could see it now... the skyscrapers, the people, the taxis, her mother. Her mother?

"Samantha Spade!" Her mother's voice filled the empty bus station. She blinked in surprise. What was her mother doing here? Why wasn't she catering to her father's every need? "Oh Sammy." Her mother whispered, throwing her arms around her.

"Mom." She whispered, still too shocked to say anything.

"C'mon, let's get you home. We'll talk then." Mrs. Spade's voice grew a little firmer, but for some reason, Samantha didn't care. For some reason, her impending punishment didn't seem to matter at all...

_(New York City, 2004)_

She fought the tears that threatened to surface. They'd found their missing teenager, who ran away because her mother didn't approve of her boyfriend. Sam bit her lip, not noticing the pain. The rain was still coming down, a little bit harder now, but she didn't notice it. She stared at the strangulation marks, knowing deep in her gut that if she had succeeded in running away that night, she most likely would have ended up like this girl. With luck, she would have ended up on the street, jobless and homeless. It was rare when someone had the luck of Becky Radowski... She glanced up around her, at the sky scrapers she dreamed of as a child and-

She was walking, but she wasn't sure where she was going. She was just wandering aimlessly in the rain. Rain which, though she hated, she didn't notice. Nor did she notice a white car pull up to her, and the driver rolling down his window.

She looked up in shock when the driver called her name, instinct forcing her hand to her right hip where her weapon rested.

"Martin." She said, surprised to see him there. "What are you doing here?" She asked, not noticing another tear rolling down her cheek, mingling with the rain.

"Climb in." Martin said, no nonsensical, but with slight sympathy. She tried to protest, but he repeated himself, firmer this time and she reluctantly climbed into the car.

She was surprised when he pulled up next to her, but her surprise when he reached behind him and handed her a towel. She looked at him, the surprise showing on her face and he shrugged. "I keep it for days like today." He offered nothing else in the way of explanation.

Ten minutes of seemingly aimless driving elapsed before she repeated her earlier question. "What were you doing there?"

He didn't answer her at first. He pulled to a stop and looked at her. "You're still running Sam." He said quietly, his blue eyes betraying his concern for her. "You've got to stop at some point or it'll kill you."

Unable to look at him anymore, she looked out the window. He was right, and she knew it. But she couldn't deal with it, or him, right now. A sigh from the driver's side preceded the car shifting gears and pulling into the street. She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall, and they drove in silence before coming to another stop, this time in front of her building.

"Thanks for giving me a ride." She said quietly, acknowledging him for the first time since Martin's painful truth. He nodded slowly, concern still lacing his features. She got out of the car and walked all the way to the door, knowing that Martin was waiting for to get inside safely. She walked single-mindedly into the elevator, and only when the doors slid closed did she realize that it had stopped raining.

Out of the darkness and into the sun  
But I won't forget the place I come from  
I gotta take a risk  
Take a chance   
Make a change  
And break away


End file.
